1996 – Stupid O’Clock Ferry

Tuesday 17th September 2021 

Ferry booked Fishguard to Rosslare.  CO2 Passports updated with worming table and Irish Pet Advance Notice form submitted.  And just like that, we were off.  Arrived in plenty of time to walk CO2 and eat.  Ferry at 23.45, well past out bedtime!  Had to leave CO2 in the van but reckon they slept.  We took blankets up and after an ice cream for me (no surprises there) and a wine for J (equally no surprises!) we dozed on the benches in the bar.

Great dog walking from free park up.  Local lady said quite a number of dog traffickers had been caught at Rosslare. View across to Port.

Tourist Trap?  Possibly, but told motorhomes welcome and food reasonable.

1997 – Sleep

Wednesday 18th September 2021 

Landed at 4.00 am, Yes AM!  Drove to a park up … gate locked so onto Plan B … Murrintown Community Centre car park.  Perfect until about 6.30 … why do people need to hurl glass into recycling bins at this hour?  

Murrintown Car Park … it was empty and QUIET when we arrived!  Despite the wafts of bacon form the butty van, we brunched chez nous.

We’d pre-booked a campsite not far from Sinead’s wedding venue …Moat Farm Camping.  A great site in that hard standing, views, dog walking nearby BUT at EUR25 pn, one would expect warm showers!  Fortunately, another guest tested them first so we showered aboard!

View from our pitch.  Doesn’t it look damp?

Local walk led me to a semi permanent pitch at the end of a long path … 4×4 needed.

1998 – OMG What Is This Wet Stuff!?

Thursday 19th September 2021 

An easy day … we walked up a hill … full wet weather gear adorned.  Primped a bit for the wedding the next day, me not James!  Just a hair trim for him … with the dog shears!

Somewhat limited visibility … they don’t call this the Emerald Isle for nothing!

1999 – THE Wedding

Friday 20th September 2021 

Sinead had organised us a motorhome parking at the Rathsalagh Hotel … just had to get there!  We followed the hotel signs and I carefully negotiated the main entrance gate … wafers either side.  Got hollered at … you ain’t getting down there … there’s an arch … you’ll have to reverse and you can follow us to the MH parking.  By this time there were 5 cars backed up behind us … we were stopping other guests from arriving at the the wedding!  A bit of jiggling and cars got past, I reversed and followed the hotel van for about 2 miles to the ‘trade’ entrance!  Lovely chap complimented my driving skills with a ‘fair play to you’ … typical Irish understatement!

Parked up … usual wedding … drinks, lots of people to chat to … especially J’s other offspring and some siblings.  Lovely wedding … chapel with a friend playing and singing, great readings and band … 

The day before outfits!  And real bonus was the M&S sale shoes at £3.99 … niece Zozo has her eye on these!

J walked Sinead down the aisle.  Very special as we hadn’t known till Monday that we would make it.

Wicked veil / train.

J’s 2 sons Stephen and Simon annihilated Sinead in their speech … definitely X rated.

Cake, bride and groom … all stunners.

The only incident was 25 mins of (cash up in flames) fireworks.  Knowing our Corrie doesn’t like storms and our gun dog (NOT) Oscar loud bangs, I left the display and went to check on CO2 … cushions and rugs completely disarranged!  

Given Sinead and Shane had not been able to visit the venue, this was the 3rd date rearrangement  … what a feat of organisational excellence.

2000 – National Stud … Not the Bride Groom!

Saturday 21st September 2021 

Breakfast at the hotel and a leisurely departure from friends and family.  We discovered Sinead had not made it to her suite last night.  Shane had spent a few hours of slumber alone.  Sinead was overheard explain to a chamber maid, whilst wearing an oversized Tshirt, that it was not what it seemed.  She had passed out in her brother’s room … honest.  Shane didn’t make it down for hours as his clothes had been mislaid.  J’s 3 other children headed off to Dublin for pre-flight Covid tests.

And we headed off to the National Stud.  A title aspirational English landlord threw money at the horse stud even giving  a winner to Royalty, and eventually got his peerage. Then left the Stud to the nation.